Utahns in baseball: Former Cougars Jake Hannemann and Jaycob Brugman heating up in the minors

Brigham Young University baseball player Jacob Hannemann waits to bat during the game with San Francisco in Provo Thursday, May 9, 2013. Hannemann was as a recruited as a football player and is now getting looked at by MLB scouts.

When (Hannemann) does what he does, he creates havoc. He just keeps improving. Every day it’s something, either on defense or the bases or at the plate, he keeps improving and keeps learning.—Kane County manager Mark Johnson

Former BYU standout Jake Hannemann had a mammoth week for Single-A Kane County, but he wasn't the only former BYU baseball player raking it in in the Midwest League over the week.

Both Hannemann and Jaycob Brugman tore the cover off the ball over the week, highlighting another interesting week of baseball from players with Utah ties.

Hannemann collected 12 hits during the week, while driving in five runs and scoring nine runs in six games for Kane County, Illinois. He now has 16 hits over his last 10 games and boosted his batting average to .262 on the year from .237, where it was three weeks ago.

However, the former Cougar did as much damage on the base pads this past week as at the plate. He stole nine bases during the week on 10 attempts to move up to 28-of-32 stealing bases this year.

Not to be outdone, Brugman had a stellar week at the plate too. Brugman collected nine hits in six games over the week for Single-A Beloit, Iowa, while smacking three home runs in the process.

The outfielder has collected a hit in seven of his last eight games and picked up at least one hit in all six games he played over the week.

The two hot-hitting BYU alums' teams are even in the midst of a four-game series against each other, where Hannemann is winning both battles — out-hitting Brugman 7 to 3 in the series, while Kane County has won three of the first four games in the series.

Elsewhere, former Dixie State catcher Matt Spring also had a big week at the plate for Double-A Portland.

Former Ute Stephen Fife returned to Triple-A Albuquerque on Friday and fared well in his first start since May 10. The righty allowed just five hits and one run over five innings, helping the Isotopes to a 3-2 win over Reno.

Fife had been on the disabled list with tightness in his pitching forearm.

Another former Ute, C.J. Cron, had another successful week in the majors. Cron put together his first career multi-home-run game on Friday. He's batting .290, with eight home runs and 22 RBIs this season.

MLB

John Buck (Taylorsville H.S.), Seattle Mariners: One hit in seven at-bats during the week. Buck picked up his first hit since June 15 on Sunday, picking up a single in Seattle’s 3-0 victory over Cleveland.

Buck is batting .224 on the season and has a .298 on-base percentage.

C.J. Cron (Utah), Los Angeles Angels: Six hits, two home runs, four RBIs and three runs scored in 19 at-bats throughout the week. Cron hit a pair of home runs in Los Angeles’ 8-6 loss to Kansas City on Friday, picking up his first career multi-home-run game.

The former Ute and Salt Lake Bee is batting .290 on the season, with eight home runs and 22 RBIs as he approaches two full months of major league service.

Jeremy Guthrie (BYU), Kansas City Royals: 1-0, 2.51 ERA in 14 1/3 innings in two combined starts over the week. Guthrie picked up his third consecutive win on Monday, allowing seven hits and just two runs in 7 2/3 innings, as the Royals beat the Dodgers 5-3.

Guthrie then picked up a no-decision on Sunday, allowing eight hits and four runs (two earned) in 6 2/3 innings. Kansas City went on to beat the Angels 5-4.

The former Cougar has won three of his last four starts since going 11 straight games without a win. He has also lowered his ERA from 4.10 on June 6 to 3.69.

Brandon Kintzler (Dixie State), Milwaukee Brewers: Allowed five hits and two runs in three appearances totaling 2 1/3 innings over the week. Kintzler served up a two-run shot to Charlie Culberson in the Brewers’ 10-4 loss to Colorado on Sunday but made two scoreless appearances against Colorado and Washington before that.

He’s 1-3 on the season, with a 3.82 ERA and 15 strikeouts in 30 2/3 innings. He also has eight holds in 10 chances this year.

Triple-A

Matt Carson (BYU), Columbus (Cleveland Indians): Remains on the 7-day disabled list with a left ankle sprain suffered on May 24. Carson is batting .273 on the season, with seven doubles, five home runs, 17 RBIs and 26 runs scored in 41 games with the Clippers.

Stephen Fife (Utah), Albuquerque (Los Angeles Dodgers): Allowed five hits and one run in six innings, while striking out two to help the Isotopes to a 3-2 victory over Reno on Friday.

Fife was making his first appearance with the Isotopes since May 10 before landing on the disabled list with tightness in his pitching forearm. He pitched six innings in a rehab start in the Arizona Rookie League last week.

Double-A

Tyson Brummett (Spanish Fork H.S.), Chattanooga (Los Angeles Dodgers): Remains on the Dodgers’ restricted list since being placed on the list on June 21. The righty is 4-5 with a 2.63 ERA with Chattanooga.

Braeden Schlehuber (Viewmont H.S.), Mississippi (Atlanta Braves): Four hits, four RBIs and three runs scored in 15 at-bats over the week. The Viewmont H.S. product has driven in at least one run in five of his last six games played.

He’s batting .206 on the year, with 25 RBIs and 10 runs scored in 43 games played.

Matt Spring (Dixie State), Portland (Boston Red Sox): Four hits, three home runs, six RBIs and three runs scored in eight at-bats over the week. The Dixie State alum hit two home runs and drove in five RBIs in Portland’s 13-9 victory over Reading on Sunday.

Spring is batting .242 on the year, with six home runs and 23 RBIs in 28 games.

Single-A

Jaycob Brugman (BYU), Beloit (Oakland Athletics): Nine hits, three home runs, four RBIs and four runs scored in 24 at-bats throughout the week. Brugman has collected at least one hit in seven of his last eight games.

Brugman is batting .280 in 64 games with Beloit. He also has seven home runs, 28 total extra base hits, 34 RBIs and 31 runs scored this season.

Chris Capper (BYU), South Bend (Arizona Diamondbacks): Remains on the 7-day disabled list. Has yet to appear in a game with the Silver Hawks this season.

Taylor Cole (BYU), Dunedin (Toronto Blue Jays): 0-2, 9.00 ERA in two combined starts over the week. The BYU alum allowed eight hits and seven runs (four earned) over five innings in a loss to Brevard County on Monday. He then allowed eight hits and five runs in four innings in a loss to Tampa on Saturday.

Cole dropped to 5-5 on the season with the rough week, while his ERA rose to 3.23 on the season. The former BYU pitcher was placed on the temporary inactive list for undisclosed reasons on Sunday.

Jake Hannemann (BYU), Kane County (Chicago Cubs): Twelve hits, one home run, one triple, one double, five RBIs, nine runs scored and nine stolen bases in 26 at-bats over the week.

Hannemann improved his batting average to .262 on the season. He has collected hits in nine of his last 10 games and has 16 total hits over his last 10 games. The former BYU standout also went 9-of-10 stealing on the base pads during the week.

Adam Law (BYU), Rancho Cucamonga (Los Angeles Dodgers): Three hits, one RBI and five runs scored in 22 at-bats over the week. Law is batting .291 on the season and has 34 runs scored in 52 games.

Brady Lail (Bingham H.S.), Charleston(New York Yankees): Allowed seven hits and three runs in five innings in a 6-5 loss to Kannapolis on Friday. The righty is 7-4 on the year, with a 3.75 ERA.

Marcus Littlewood (Pine View H.S.), Clinton (Seattle Mariners): Four hits, one home run, one double, two RBIs and two runs scored in 16 at-bats over the week. Littlewood is batting .262 on the year, with 17 extra base hits and 31 RBIs in 49 games this season.

Tyler Wagner (Utah), Brevard County (Milwaukee Brewers): Did not pitch this past week. The former Ute is 6-4 on the season, with a 1.96 ERA in 14 games.

Keenyn Walker (Judge Memorial H.S.), Winston-Salem (Chicago White Sox): Five hits, two doubles, one RBI, four runs scored and two stolen bases in 16 at-bats over the week. Walker returned to action on Wednesday after a brief stint on the disabled list. He’s batting .294 over his past 10 games.

Tanner Banks (Utah), Arizona White Sox (Chicago White Sox): Allowed three hits and one run in two appearances over the week totalling two innings. Banks also struck out two batters during the week.

The former Ute made his minor league debut on Wednesday, allowing a pair of hits and a run against the Arizona Rangers.

Bubba Blau (Dixie State), Arizona Brewers (Milwaukee Brewers): Threw 2 and 1/3 innings of perfect baseball while striking out three batters in his lone appearance of the week against the Arizona Dodgers.

Blau has made two appearances since signing with the Brewers and has allowed just one hit and one walk in 4 1/3 innings, while striking out five batters.

Nick Green (Utah), Idaho Falls (Kansas City Royals): One hit allowed in 1 1/3 innings over two combined appearances over the week. Green has allowed just two hits in 2 2/3 innings, while striking out two batters in Idaho Falls. He also has one save for the team.

Adam Miller (BYU), Arizona [Rookie League] (Arizona Diamondbacks): Struck out all three batters faced in one inning of work against the Arizona Angels on Thursday in his first rehab appearance since landing on the disabled list. The BYU alum last pitched on May 15. He is 3-0 this season, with a 2.80 ERA for Single-A South Bend.

Parker Morin (Utah), Idaho Falls (Kansas City Royals): Three hits, one home run, one RBI and two runs scored in nine at-bats for Idaho Falls in two games. Morin began his rehab assignment on Saturday, going 1-for-4 at the plate in his first action since going on the disabled list on May 12.

He was batting .211 on the year, with three doubles and six RBIs with the Double-A Northwest Arkansas Naturals prior to going on the disabled list.